Broadly, the purpose of the Brisco Interchange Project is to investigate, identify, and propose potential modifications to the on and off-ramps at Brisco Road in order to alleviate traffic congestion at peak travel times.

The HWY 101 ramps at Brisco Road, East Grand Avenue, and Camino Mercado are included in the study parameters of the Brisco Interchange Project.

The Brisco Project has been underway for several years, which is typical for a project of this size and complexity.

The design alternatives, supporting documentation and environmental documents are prepared by the City and require approval from Cal Trans.

The City of Arroyo Grande is responsible for the design, technical documents and environmental review in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Brisco Project and Cal Trans is the lead in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

For several years, the City of Arroyo Grande and Cal Trans have been working towards coming to an agreement on the design alternatives that address the congestion concerns while maintaining conformance with Cal Trans requirements in an area that has several physical constraints.

Once the design alternatives and draft environmental review report is complete and approved by Cal Trans, it will be released for public comment for 30 days.

The City is targeting to have the design and environmental review reports available to the public for comment in early 2017.

Per the direction of the Arroyo Grande City Council, which was to “keep the ramps closed as long as possible,” the City of Arroyo Grande submitted a “rider” request to extend the closure that was approved by Cal Trans in order to see if there was opportunity to keep the ramps temporarily closed until the ultimate project could be approved and constructed.

The City has included water usage assumptions for new development in our water supply calculations. However, if new land is annexed into the City, or infill development is more water intensive than currently projected, then additional water would need to be secured by the project Developer to account for the increase.

Yes but not as much as you would think. The City’s growth continues to be less than 1% per year. Current development and pipeline projects account for only less than 2% of increased water demand. Current conservation measures have achieved a 28% reduction in water demand in the last two years. Conservation remains the most effective factor in saving water, therefore, even if there was a building moratorium, water restrictions and conservation would still be required.

Yes. All new development requires strict indoor and outdoor water efficiency. In fact, today’s development is 20-50% more water efficient than development constructed before 1980. So, upgrading our existing housing stock as well as new infill development will reduce overall demand. In addition, new development also pays certain fees to both fund the current water system and secure additional water sources.

Curtailing construction would have a dramatic impact to the housing market and our local economy. When housing affordability is aggravated, it makes it harder for companies to grow or for new companies to enter the City. This negatively impacts the local job market and could discourage companies from opening or expanding in the City.

If the drought, or other unforeseen circumstance, impacts our water supply and we can’t meet demand then building restrictions are one of the many tools the City would implement. Conservation will remain vital since the overall water savings from everyone conserving is higher than a moratorium would achieve. The City, in conjunction with neighboring agencies, already has procedures in place to prolong the City’s current water supply. Nonetheless, if the extraordinary drought continues, the City will have to enact more severe conservation measures, building restrictions and/or secure additional emergency water.

Developing permanent water efficient habits will make the most significant impact. Continuing strategies include placing more emphasis on water storage opportunities, use of graywater for landscape applications, and importantly, investing in water reclamation for long term sustainability.

It is important that you file your nomination papers as early as you can because the City Clerk must certify the signatures on nomination papers. If you wait until the last day and any of the signatures you received, for any reason, are insufficient, you will not have qualified as a candidate. If you file early, there will be time for the City Clerk to check the signatures and notify you of any insufficiencies. You may then have an opportunity to circulate a Supplemental Nomination Paper to qualify yourself as a candidate.

You may withdraw as a candidate at any time PRIOR to the close of the nomination period which is August 10, 2018, or August 15, 2018, if the nomination period is extended. After that date, your name cannot be withdrawn and will appear on the ballot.

The nomination period closes on August 10, 2018, unless an incumbent does not file and then the period is extended to August 15, 2018. A list of candidates will be prepared the next working day and should be available for distribution by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 13, or on Thursday, August 16. The Official List of Candidates will be updated on the City's website following the random drawing by the Secretary of State on August 16th to determine order in which the candidate names will appear on the ballot.

No. Check your Candidate’s Statement carefully before it is submitted as the content will be printed exactly as submitted. The only amendments allowed after filing are format changes and/or the elimination of excess words.

The Candidate’s Statement may be withdrawn, but not changed, during the period for filing nomination papers and until 5:00 p.m. of the next working day after the close of the nomination period, August 13, 2018, or August 16, 2018 if the nomination period is extended.

If you do not plan to spend or receive contributions in excess of $2,000, you are not required by law to form a campaign committee. If, however, your contributions or expenditures exceed $2,000, a campaign committee must be formed pursuant to State law. Please see FPPC Manual 2 for Local Candidates.

No. Once the City Clerk has date stamped a campaign statement, it is considered to be filed. You may, however, amend any statement by filing the same form, checking "Amendment" as the statement type, and including the correct information.

The County Clerk has 30 days after the election to canvass the election and certify the results. The City Clerk will present the results to the City Council for its acceptance at the next available Council meeting after receiving the County Clerk's certification.

On Wednesday, April 1, 2015, due to ongoing drought conditions and the historical low Sierra snowpack measurements, the Governor signed Executive Order B-29-15, enacting statewide mandatory water conservation requirements. The Governor’s Executive Order includes a requirement that the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) impose restrictions to achieve a statewide 25% reduction in potable urban water usage through February 28, 2016. The required reduction is to be based upon a comparison to the amount of water used in 2013.

The declaration of a Stage 1 Water Shortage Emergency is based upon a determination that there are impacts to the City’s water supply. California Water Code Section 350 authorizes agencies to declare emergencies upon a determination that the ordinary demands and requirements of water consumers cannot be satisfied without depleting the water supply to the extent that there would be insufficient water for human consumption, sanitation and fire protections. Given persisting severe dry conditions, low Lopez Reservoir levels and low groundwater levels, as well as the need to ensure that the Governor’s mandate will be met, the declaration was made. This declaration will help ensure adequate water supply and will help the City achieve the Governor’s mandate.

A Stage 1 Water Shortage Emergency includes three main components. First, a baseline water amount based upon historical use is assigned to each residential customer. This is determined upon the amount of water used during the same billing period of the previous year prior to the declaration. Secondly, a requirement is imposed upon residential customers to reduce consumption by a certain percentage based upon their billing tier previously imposed with the City’s Tiered Rate Structure. Lastly, enforcement provisions are included in the resolution that include increasingly significant financial penalties to ensure that the scarce and irreplaceable commodity of water is equitably distributed and that it is conserved and used for the purposes of public health and safety.

• Residential customers Tier 1 (bi-monthly usage of 0-18 units) are required to reduce consumption by 10% from the amount of usage of the assigned baseline.• Customers whose use is 10 units or less shall not increase their usage above the amount of their assigned baseline. • Residential customers in Tier 2 (bi-monthly usage of 19-36 units) will be required to reduce consumption by 20%. • Tier 3 (bi-monthly usage of 37 units or more), 30%. Partial units are rounded down.

EXAMPLES:• A customer in Tier 1 who has a historical use of 8 units will not have a reduction but will need to stay at 8 units.• A Tier 1 customer whose historical usage is 17 units will need to reduce 10% to 16. • A Tier 2 customer with historical usage of 32 units would need to reduce to 26. • A Tier 3 customer at 57 units would need to reduce to 40.

• The existing permanent and mandatory conservation restrictions for Arroyo Grande residents include the following:• Use of water which results in excessive gutter runoff is prohibited. • No water shall be used for cleaning driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, streets or other such use except where necessary to protect the public health and safety. • Outdoor water use for washing vehicles is allowed only with hand-controlled watering devices. • Outdoor irrigation is prohibited between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. • Irrigation of private and public landscaping, turf areas and gardens is permitted at even-numbered addresses on Mondays and Thursdays and at odd-numbered addresses only on Tuesdays and Fridays. • No irrigation of private and public landscaping, turf areas and gardens is permitted on Wednesdays. • Irrigation is permitted at all addresses on Saturdays and Sundays. • Emptying and refilling swimming pools and commercial spas are prohibited except to prevent structural damage and/or to provide for the public health and safety. • Use of potable water for soil compaction or dust control purposes in construction activities is prohibited.• In addition, the City Council recently amended the permanent and mandatory conservation restrictions to require water to be served in restaurants only upon request and hotels will be required to display signs in rooms instructing visitors to place towels on the floor only if they need to be replaced.

It will depend on your baseline and what Tier you are in. Most customers are in Tier 1 and will need to reduce 10%. For example, if you typically use 17 units, you will need to reduce to 16 units (about 748 gallons over the two month billing cycle). This adds up to about 12.5 gallons a day, enough water to fill a standard kitchen trashcan.

The City is offering many rebates to help with conservation including the following programs: • Cash for Grass• Water efficient washing machines• Plumbing retrofit programFor more information, visit http://www.thinkh2onow.com/water_conservation_rebates_arroyo_grande.php

If you are a Tier 1 who uses less than 10 units of water, you will not be asked to conserve any more than you already do but you will be expected to maintain your conservation levels. Other customers will most likely have to change their habits regarding their use of water. You may have to make decisions with regards to landscaping versus domestic needs. The Stage 1 Emergency Water Restriction methodology of creating a historical use baseline is intended to allow residents to choose how to utilize their water rather than mandate specifically how reductions are achieved. In other words, it would allow the application of water for landscape purposes if the required allotment is not exceeded.

Mandatory financial penalties will be levied on all water users who fail to reduce consumption in the percentages required: • First Violation: Written notice of violation• Second Violation: $50• Third Violation: $100• Subsequent $200

Violations may also be subject to referral to the City Attorney for appropriate action, including but not limited to prosecution under the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code, as well as possible discontinuance of service.

Customers who incur penalties may have them waived by attending a minimum two-hour session of Water Conservation School, which will be conducted by the City of Arroyo Grande. The option to have penalties waived by attending Water Conservation School shall be available only one time for any customer who has incurred penalties. Water Conservation School will be offered three (3) to four (4) times per year on an as needed basis.

Yes, in fact we encourage the use of greywater for landscaping. http://greywateraction.org/ has some great information about setting up a system. A building permit is required for the installation of greywater systems.

Currently, the City utilizes approximately 73% of supply and long term build out projections for water demand and supply remain balanced based on build-out projections. Any increase in land use intensity beyond what was envisioned in the City’s General Plan Land Use Element, are required to identify additional water supply of offset. Requirements for new development that fall within General Plan Land Use build out calculations include water conservation fixtures, irrigation control and drought tolerant landscape as well as water neutralization fees that are used for meeting continued supply needs.

Recent updates to the General Plan Housing and Economic Development Elements prioritize continued modest infill development to meet housing needs and achieve implementation of a moratorium as impacts would include a housing shortfall. Should conditions worsen due to realized impacts to supply or other imposed mandatory reductions, a moratorium will be brought forward for Council consideration.

Commercial customers with irrigation meter accounts will have to reduce water use by 25% from the amount of usage of the assigned baseline water amount or otherwise incur penalties. Commercial customers without an irrigation meter will be exempt from water restrictions. Many commercial businesses are unable to institute conservation measures without impacting public health and safety and the economic vitality of the City. They also account for only 10% of the City’s water use.

City staff is contacting all of the top 100 water users in the city directly to develop strategies to reduce their consumption. The Lucia Mar Unified School District and the Arroyo Grande Cemetery District are working cooperatively with the City and have been aggressive on the implementation of water conservation measures.

You will need a valid Contractor's License authorizing the type of work to be done (e.g. - sidewalk work requires a C8 or A license; sewer lateral work requires a C34, A, or a C36 in conjunction with a C12 license) You will also need an encroachment permit from the Engineering Division.

Sometimes we can tell you approximately where your sewer lateral is located within the street right-of-way. If we cannot provide you with an approximate location, we will help you make contact with someone who can. This will usually require a contractor or sewer lateral video service to field locate your lateral. There is typically a fee associated for this service.

If you know the parcel or tract map number used to create the subdivision your property is in, we can try looking up the subdivision map through the San Luis Obispo County Assessor's Office. Contact the Engineering Division at 473-5445 for more information.

This varies from street to street. In most instances, the right-of-way is measured from the back of sidewalk in front of your property to the back of sidewalk in front of the property opposite you. For street specific right-of-way information, contact the Engineering Division at 473-5445.

It depends. Since each case is different we need to speak to you about your specific needs before we can provide you with information or recommend where you might find what you are looking for. Contact the Engineering Division at 473-5445.

City Council agendas are posted at City Hall, 300 E. Branch Street. Agendas and staff reports are also available online. You can also subscribe to "Notify Me" to receive automatic notifications when Agendas are available..

You can watch City Council meetings live on Charter Cable Channel 20 or watch the rebroadcast daily of the same week at 9:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m., and 1:00 a.m. Streaming video of meetings is also available 24/7 on the City's website.

Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, the public may have access to a variety of documents held by the City. Written requests can be submitted to the City Clerk in person or online. Copy fees are $.20 per standard size page. Oversize and bond documents are available at an additional cost pursuant to the City's Master Fee Schedule.

Voter registration forms are available at City Hall, 300 E. Branch Street or from the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder's Office, Post Offices, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Questions regarding voter registration or voting by mail ballots should be directed to the San Luis Obispo County Election Department in San Luis Obispo at (805) 781-5228.

Visit the Department of State's website, Travel.State.Gov for more information, requirements and policies on passports. The Arroyo Grande Post Office located at 160 Station Way is also a Passport Agency.

Marriage licenses, birth and/or death certificates are obtained through the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder's Office. Contact the County Clerk-Recorder's Office at (805) 781-5228 to apply or visit the County's website for more information. The SLO Clerk-Recorder's office is located at 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo.

In residential ares, property owners are largely responsible for trimming their trees. If the trees are located in the parkway, the City may be responsible for tree trimming. Contact the Streets and Landscaping Division of the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5470 regarding questionable trees.

The Streets and Landscaping Division is responsible for maintenance in all City Parks. A combination of City employees and contracted landscape maintenance firms are used to complete the maintenance work. Contact the Streets and Landscaping Division of the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5470 for additional information. The Recreation Department is responsible for reservations in all City Parks.

A general plan is the city's constitution - a set of policies and programs that form a blueprint for long-term development of the community. It consists of written text and diagrams that express how a community should develop, and is a key tool for influencing the quality of life. The plan is a basis for decision-making on land use, city services, and public works used by policymakers such as the Planning Commission and the City Council. All cities and counties in California are required by law to have general plans.

State law mandates that each city and county in California adopt "a comprehensive, long-term general plan." The purpose is to plan for important community issues such as new growth, housing needs, and environmental protection. Furthermore, the General Plan is used to project future demand for services such as sewer, water, roadways, parks, and emergency services. Finally, all zoning and subdivision approvals must be consistent with the General Plan.

Your property lines can be determined by a licensed surveyor completing a survey of your property. The City has maps provided by the County Assessor that show your lot dimensions; however, you cannot determine the exact location of your lot lines without a survey of the property. The City does not recommend any specific surveyor or survey company.Please check your phone book for a list of surveyors.

In general, fences can be constructed right on your property lines as long as it does not conflict with any easements or public right-of-way. If you plan to construct a fence between your property and a neighboring property, it is recommended that you talk to your neighbor first; they might help contribute to the cost.

In any required front yard setback, fences cannot exceed three feet (3') in height. A six foot (6') fence may be maintained along all side yard and rear yards, provided that the six foot segments do not intrude into the required front yard setback.

Contact the Planning Division at 805-473-5420 if you have property specific questions.

Impounded vehicles can only be released to the registered or legal owner. Identification and all pertinent paperwork must be presented and a impound release fee of $63 must be collected at the time of the release.

Thirty day stored vehicles are subject to the approval of the on-duty Watch Commander to be released prior to 30 days. If the registered owner of any impounded vehicle is unlicensed they must bring a licensed driver with them to take possession of the vehicle. If the registered owner is unable to claim the vehicle they must give written notarized permission to a valid driver.

If you have received a ticket and the violation is correctable you may bring the ticket to the Police Department to be signed off by a police officer. The fee to sign off a correctable violation is $20. Additional fees may apply through the court. Proof of Insurance violations can only by signed off through the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.

If you have a specific problem regarding traffic-related police issues, such as speeding, stop sign violations, red light violations or illegally parked vehicles, the Arroyo Grande Police Department can schedule directed traffic enforcement to respond to the issue.

You can notify us about the problem by filling out the below form. If you so desire, we can provide your contact information so that we can either contact you for additional information or advise you of the results of our enforcement efforts. As an alternative, you may contact the Arroyo Grande Police Department "Traffic Problem Hotline" 805-473-5136 and leave a message.

Enforcement InformationPlease describe the problem with as much detail as possible. You should include not only the location of the problem, but also the day(s) of the week and the time(s) the problem occurs. If possible and relevant, please provide as detailed a description as possible of the vehicle(s) causing the problem, including but not limited to the manufacturer, model, color and license plate.

You can come into the police station in person and properly identify yourself. Be advised that if you do have a warrant that is not cite releasable you may be taken into custody and held until you can post bail.

A restraining order is a civil process, where the person seeking the order makes an application to a magistrate to temporarily restrain, or restrict another person from doing something that would otherwise be perfectly legal behavior.

While the obtaining of a restraining order is a private process, there are numerous resources available to people, especially in cases of domestic violence, to make the process straightforward and workable.

While in some cases the police may apply for an emergency protective order for someone, it is a temporary solution only, and the regular process needs to be set into motion as soon as possible.

If you can satisfactorily identify yourself to us as a protected party, and bring in a copy of the order during normal business hours, we will examine the record to see if your order shows proof of service.

The expiration of a restraining order is listed on its face. If you no longer have your copy, but can identify yourself to us as being the protected party, we will tell you if the order is still in force and effect.

Some of the common reasons for requesting a clearance letter may be to travel abroad or to adopt a child. Prior to submitting your request, determine if the clearance letter requires notarization from a notary public or authentication from the Secretary of State, then submit a legible copy of your photo identification, i.e., driver's license or passport; a fee of $26.

Section 40215 of the California Vehicle Code sets forth uniform procedures for contesting parking citation. These procedures include several time periods that must be carefully adhered to. The Parking Citation Appeals Process, including all required forms, can be found here. You may also contact our Records Division 15 (805) 473-5112 for more information.

The proposed project consists of the construction of a 3,150 square foot fast food restaurant with a drive-thru on the currently vacant property located at 727 El Camino Real (the western corner of the El Camino Real, Faeh Avenue, Bell Street intersection). The new structure is proposed to be one story (21 feet) in height and includes 37 parking spaces.

No. The project application has only recently been deemed complete for processing. City staff is still reviewing the proposal, evaluating the project’s impacts on the environment under the California Environmental Quality Act, and preparing reports for the various Committees and Commissions that will be reviewing the project and making recommendations to the City Council. The City Council will make a final determination on the application at a future public hearing.

State Law and the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code have provisions for public hearing notifications regarding projects such as this. Given anticipated neighborhood interest regarding the proposal, City staff provided notification to property owners within 300 feet of the project site earlier than required by either State Law or the Municipal Code to begin informing the public about the proposal. Additional notices will be mailed to property owners in the neighborhood as the project proceeds to the Planning Commission, tentatively scheduled in October, and City Council, tentatively scheduled in November. Additionally, notices will be sent when the environmental documentation required under the California Environmental Quality Act is prepared and available for public review and comment.

The plans can be reviewed at City Hall, 300 East Branch Street, during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Planning Manager Matthew Downing is the City staff member processing the project and is happy to show the plans to the public. If Matt is unavailable, another member of the Community Development Department can show you the plans when you visit. You can send comments to Matt at City Hall or via email at mdowning@arroyogrande.org.

You can email the project manager Matt Downing at mdowning@arroyogrande.org and request to be notified of meetings and activities associated with the project. Additionally, the City encourages you to sign up for notifications on its website at www.arroyogrande.org.

Although there are many reasons for a sewer malfunction, if you advise the City that you are experiencing problems, City staff will investigate and determine whether or not it is related to the sewer main. If it is not a malfunction on the part of the City, the property owner is responsible for any problems from the lateral to the sewer main.

If a sewer problem occurs after regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, contact Police dispatch at (805) 473-5100 to report the problem. Dispatch will contact standby personnel to respond to the emergency. Please report all pertinent information to the dispatcher.

The City provides a limited number of sandbags for flood control needs to residences in the incorporated City limits. Those bags are available at the City's Corporation Yard, 1375 Ash Street. Unfilled sandbags are also available at most hardware and farm supply stores.

The City is generally responsible for repairing damaged sidewalks unless the damage is a result of trees planted and maintained by the adjoining property owner. Report problems to the Public Works Department by calling (805) 473-5460.

Traffic signal inquiries may be directed to the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5460. Public Works staff will determine who is responsible for the maintenance of a particular traffic signal and contact the appropriate agency.

PG&E repairs the City's street lights. You may contact the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5460 and we will report the problem to PG&E. You will need to have the street address closest to the pole as well as the street light pole number (located approximately 6 feet up from the bottom of the pole). It will be helpful to know if the light is burned out or cycling on and off.

A copy of the Annual Water Quality Report is mailed to every resident in the City by July 1st of each year, or can be obtained at the Public Works Department. This report contains all pertinent information regarding the quality of the water delivered to our customers. Annual Water Quality Reports

If a water emergency occurs after regular business hours which are Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, contact Police dispatch at (805) 473-5100 and report the problem. Dispatch will contact standby personnel to respond to the emergency. Please report all pertinent information to the dispatcher.

The California Fish and Game Code, Section 5937, requires: “The owner of any dam shall allow sufficient water at all times to pass through a fishway, or in the absence of a fishway, allow sufficient water to pass over, around or through the dam, to keep in good condition any fish that may be planted or exist below the dam.” Since Lopez Dam does not have a fishway (fish ladder), downstream releases are made through pipes that pass through the dam.

The Federal Endangered Species Act. Federal Law prohibits any action that would result in the “take” ("The term 'take' means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct."). Steelhead were declared a Threatened Species in 1995 and Arroyo Grande Creek supports a population of the fish. Shutting off downstream releases would dry up the upper part of the creek and result in harm to steelhead in the area, thereby violating federal law.

Downstream Water Rights. Landowners, primarily farmers, whose land abuts the creek have a legal right under section 10 of the California Constitution to the natural flow of water in the creek, so long as the farmers use the water for reasonable and beneficial uses. If flows from the dam are stopped, farmers and landowners in the upper portions of the Arroyo Grande Valley would not be able to exercise their water rights. In the winter, when flows in the creek are above the amount needed by the farmers, the “extra” water is stored in the reservoir above the dam.

In addition to the legal requirements, it is important to note that the water released from the dam increases the amount that recharges the groundwater basin below the dam. This groundwater is used by landowners as well as downstream municipalities in addition to supplies from Lopez Lake.

The Lopez Project was designed to produce a long term annual average of 8,730 acre feet water per year (an acre-foot of water is 325,851 gallons). Of this 8,730 acre feet, 4,530 is contracted to municipal users in the five cities and Avila Beach area, the remaining 4,200 acre feet is for downstream uses. When the watershed produces more than 8,730 acre feet in a given year, the excess is stored in the lake and used in years when the watershed produces less than 8,730 acre feet. The rate at which water is released from the dam varies with the season. In winter months releases are reduced because downstream uses need less water, in summer releases increase to meet streamside and groundwater needs. In recent years, a typical winter release averages 3 cubic feet per second (1.9 million gallons or 5.95 acre feet per day), in the summer releases rise to as much 12 cubic feet per second (7.8 million gallons or 26 acre feet per day).

Most recently, in the 15 days between January 4, 2017 and January 19, 2017 the reservoir inflow was 3,192.25 acre feet. At 3 cubic feet per second, 89.25 acre feet was released downstream and 3,103 acre 2 feet were kept in storage. That is, 97.2% of the inflow was kept in the lake, and 2.8% was released downstream.

Yes. In December of 2014 the Board of Supervisors and all the agencies that receive water from Lopez Lake adopted the Low Reservoir Response Plan. As levels in the lake drop, reductions are made in both municipal deliveries and downstream releases. In December of 2016 the lake was at a critical point, just 1,000 acre feet above the level that would trigger substantial reductions in downstream releases. These reductions are a key part of the emergency drought response actions reflected in the Low Reservoir Response Plan.

Yes. The Nacimiento Reservoir, operated by the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, for reasons similar to Lopez, releases a minimum of 60 cubic feet per second into the Nacimiento River, even during winter months. These minimum releases are a requirement of the Federal Endangered Species Act. In summer, when irrigation demands in the Salinas Valley increase, the releases increase substantially.

The Salinas Reservoir (Santa Margarita Lake), operated by the County of San Luis Obispo, is allowed to divert water to storage only when the Salinas River is flowing on the surface between the Dam and the confluence of the Salinas and Nacimiento Rivers, a distance of about 40 miles. This requirement is part of the water rights permit issued for the building of the dam in the 1940’s and is intended to protect both downstream water rights and fish populations in the river.